The 2017 Pension Political Power 25: Corey Lewandowski

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14. Corey Lewandowski
Co-founder, Avenue Strategies

Few political operatives appear better suited to thrive in the topsy-turvy world of Washington under the 45th president of the United States than Puerto Rico’s new man in D.C., Corey Lewandowski. And as a lobbyist for the commonwealth, he could become an unlikely pension savior.

When he met Donald Trump, Lewandowski had gained a name for himself as a bruiser and a doer in New Hampshire politics; in January 2016 he became the real estate mogul’s campaign manager. His tenure didn’t last long, but his scowling presence set the tone for the Republican candidate’s campaign, and he’s given credit for the “let Trump be Trump” approach, which proved a winning strategy.

Now Lewandowski, 43, is back in Washington as a lobbyist. One of his first clients: cash-strapped Puerto Rico. In late January the territory and its recently elected governor, Ricardo Rosselló, 37, were in talks with Lewandowski’s new firm, Avenue Strategies, to represent the commonwealth. Any resolution of Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis will have to address a massively underfunded public pension system and the payment of pension benefits going forward. Also, a restructuring of the territory’s pension debt could set a precedent for what happens to U.S. states struggling with pension burdens. — Imogen Rose-Smith